Chhattisgarh's revenues see a surge in seven months: CM Bhupesh Baghel

Chhattisgarh’s own revenues have seen a jump in the first seven months of the current financial year.

According to budget estimates for the financial year, revenue receipts of the state are projected at Rs 44,500 crore, against which an amount of Rs 25,228 crore has been collected till October. The possibility of further rise in the state’s revenue receipts is expected. Against Rs 44,573 crore revenue receipts estimated from the central government, only Rs 21,332 crore has been received till October.

“This shows that revenue receipts of the state are more than 18 per cent compared to the Centre,” Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said.

Chhattisgarh has posted a revenue surplus of Rs 898 crore during the period. The state has been successful in maintaining a revenue surplus of Rs 4,642 crore in the last financial year. The chief minister said it could be achieved only because of better financial management and strict fiscal discipline.

The size of the state budget has also increased. The second supplementary budget of Rs 4,338 crore for the financial year 2022-23 was recently passed in the Chhattisgarh Assembly. The main budget for the year 2022-23 is Rs 1.04 trillion.

This includes the first and second supplementary budgets. Now, the size of the state budget has increased to Rs 1.11 trillion. Of the provision made in the second supplementary budget, Rs 3,749 crore has been earmarked for revenue expenditure and Rs 589 crore for capital expenditure.

The chief minister said the income and purchasing power of farmers, labourers and women of the state had significantly improved as a result of financial aid and public welfare schemes of the state government.

“In the first eight months of the current financial year, we have not taken any loan from the market, whereas till November, capital expenditure of more than Rs 6,000 crore has been done from the resources of the state,” Baghel added.

The state government has made necessary provisions in the second supplementary budget for the construction of 47 urban and rural roads and bridges.

An amount of Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for the repair and renovation of state highways, main district roads and rural roads to be built under the public works department.

Even as paddy procurement has started, Chhattisgarh has made a provision of Rs 950 crore for its flagship Rajiv Gandhi Kisan

Nyay Yojana.

Under the scheme, the state government has been giving bonus to farmers against the paddy procured at minimum support price (MSP).